Things looked really bad for Dr. Dolittle and his friends.
But then, without warning, someone let out a loud cry.
One native ran toward one of the sick men.
He spoke rapidly.
He had tears in his eyes.
Long Arrow translated for Dr. Dolittle.
"This is the chief's eldest son,"
he said, pointing to one of the sick men.
"His family thought he was dead.
And the other one, the man with the sword, is his younger brother.
Their father, the chief of Popsipetal, has just died."
"What did he die from?" asked the doctor.
"They do not know," translated Long Arrow.
"He was bitten by a mosquito and died soon after."
Dr. Dolittle jumped to his feet.
"A mosquito? Then we must hurry!"
"Ah," Long Arrow said.
"The mosquito must be carrying a disease that spreads through the blood."
Dr. Dolittle nodded.
"Can you help them?" asked Long Arrow.
Dr. Dolittle looked inside his medicine bag.
"How many natives are there?" he asked.
"Over one hundred families," answered Long Arrow.
The doctor sadly shook his head.
"I have some medicine, but not enough for everyone," he said.
"Do not worry," Long Arrow replied.
"I know how to stop the sickness.
But we must hurry before others get sick!"
When they reached the village of Popsipetal, several people ran out toward them crying.
One woman sobbed and spoke to the chief's younger son.
"Her baby is very sick from the same mosquito bite," Long Arrow translated.
Dr. Dolittle looked very upset.
Many others were sick, too.
"Tommy, Charles! I need your help," Dr. Dolittle said.
The natives helped Dr. Dolittle set up a small hut.
All the sick people were put inside the hut.
No one except Dr. Dolittle was allowed inside.
The doctor rolled up his sleeves and began taking care of the people.
Meanwhile Long Arrow had disappeared.
Tommy and Charles brought fresh water and clean cloths to the doctor.
They worked hard all night.
But more and more people got sick.
And Long Arrow still had not returned.
Tommy wondered where the Indian was.
Finally at dawn, the doctor came out of the hut, extremely tired.
"That's it," he sighed.
"There is no more medicine left."
"But what about all these people?"
Tommy looked at the long line standing in front of the hut.
They were waiting to be treated.
"There must be something you can do," cried Charles.
"I don't know," the doctor said sadly.
"I can't help them anymore."
With those words, the doctor began to cry.
Suddenly the sky began to rumble.
Everyone looked up to see what was causing the sounds.
A large band of eagles flew across the village and into the woods.
They screeched loudly as they soared high up and dived down low.
"What are they saying?" Tommy asked the doctor.
"It is a miracle." Dr. Dolittle smiled.
"The eagles are eating up all the mosquitoes!"
"They taste rather disgusting," screamed one eagle.
"Not much flavor," complained another.
"They're not as bad as flies," said a third.
Dr. Dolittle clapped his hands excitedly and yelled,
"Thank you! Thank you for saving the people!"
"That little human is speaking our language," said the first eagle.
"Yes, that's the famous Dr. Dolittle," the second one said.
"Oh, the one Long Arrow told us about," said the third.
"It was Long Arrow who has saved you, not us!" they shouted.
Just then the largest, grandest eagle flew over them.
Sitting on its back was Long Arrow.
"I have returned,"
Long Arrow said to the doctor, getting off the eagle.
"Now give this to every person and they will be sick no more."
He held out a large jar of herbs and plants.
For the next two days, Dr. Dolittle and Long Arrow worked together curing the natives.
Soon not one person in the village of Popsipetal was sick.